Publicly Accessible Free Online Courses

This section provides links to publicly accessible free e-Learning courses as well as links to courses accessible through Regional Training Academies. Some courses are more simplistic in nature and will not require specialized software or equipment. Video and audio clips may be included in other courses and may require additional software or equipment.

For assistance:

• Please see your county technical staff.

Child Welfare

1. Bonding and Attachment in Maltreated Children
   Description: The Child Trauma Academy presents principles of bonding, attachment, and identification of concerning behaviors in children.


2. The Cost of Caring: Secondary Traumatic Stress and the Impact of Working with High-Risk Children and Families
   Description: The Child Trauma Academy presents information about burnout, stress, and secondary traumatic stress. The course describes factors that increase and/or decrease risk and staff are encouraged to create protective strategies.


3. ICWA: Inquiry and Notice
   This courses describes the purpose and principles of ICWA, identifies the types of cases covered, summarizes the process of initial and further inquiry, identifies roles, best practices and primary resources on tribes.


4. Leadership Academy for Supervisors: Core Curriculum
   Description: The National Child Welfare Workforce Institute presents curricula that includes one introductory module and five content modules. Content includes: leadership, building collaboratives, workforce development, accountability, and goal setting. To take the orientation module, click http://www.ncwwilas.org/Orientation/. To learn more about the curriculum, click http://www.ncwwi.org/las.html.


5. Surviving Childhood: An Introduction to the Impact of Trauma
   Description: The Child Trauma Academy provides principles of neurodevelopment and its approach to child maltreatment and presents research findings about abuse and its impact on brain development.


6.  Understanding Substance Use Disorders, Treatment and Family Recovery: A Guide for Child Welfare Professionals
   This tutorial will provide an introduction to alcohol and drug addiction, information about substance abuse treatment and recovery, treatment readiness and effectiveness, and cross-system communication and collaboration.

Aging and Adults
 

Mental Health

1. CA Mental Health Services: A Brief Overview
   Description: The California Institute for Mental Health describes the changes in services over time and the evolution of laws and problems related to funding.


2. Person-Centered Planning
   Description: The California Institute for Mental Health presents the principles of person-centered practice in recovery and resilience practice, including the creation of a person-centered plan.